Did Imam Ali (as) Love The Three Caliphs??

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

One popular propaganda of neo-Salafis is their claim that Imam Ali (as) so much loved the three caliphs before him that he gave his daughter in marriage to Umar and named his children after the three of them! One argument that they fail to notice however is that Umar was impotent at the time of the so-called marriage. Therefore, all the narrations about the alleged marriage, Sunni or Shi’a, with or without sahih chains, crash to the ground!



Modern day Hanafi scholar Mufti Ghulam Rasul produces the following argument as proof that the marriage to Umm Kulthum (as) is a fabrication. He cites several authentic Sunni sources, we are quoting from his text Hasab aur Nasab Volume 5 page 216-217:


"Saleem narrates an episode that Umar would venture in disguise during the evenings on this occasion and overheard a woman telling her daughter to mix water into milk (selling) container. The girl said 'Mother doesn't Umar ibn al Khattab prohibit mixing water with milk? The woman replied 'He isn't watching us'. The girl said 'What is this, we openly obey him and we privately disobey him? In the morning he summoned his sons Abdullah, Ubaydullah and Asim and then called the girl and said before them 'If your father was physically capable then the first that I would do would be to marry this girl'. Asim then married the girl, and she gave birth to girl who became the mother of Umar ibn Abdul Aziz" (taken from Tarjha naza asth al majalis Volume 2 page 125). The author of Shadharath al Dhahab also narrated this in Volume 1 page 119 and Hafidh Ibn Katheer stated Umar praised the fact that he liked the girl’s knowledge and he married her to his son Asim and this girl became the maternal grand mother of Umar ibn Abdul Aziz (d.101 Hijri) [al Bidayah wa al Nihaya Volume 9 page 192].


This episode occurred during the Umar, and the marriage of Umm Kulthum is also said to have occurred during his khilafat. If the marriage occurred with Umm bint 'Ali and Zaid and Ruqayya were born out of this relationship then offspring could have likewise been produced from marrying this girl. What is the reason that Umar was physically incapable to marry this girl (that did not mix water with milk) whilst he had the physical strength to marry Umm Kulthum bint 'Ali? When Umar did not marry the girl because he was unable to do so due on accounts of impotence, then he was likewise incapable of marrying Umm Kulthum bint 'Ali. The reality is that Umar's wife name was Umm Kulthum bint Jarwal, narrators used guesswork over the names, they replaced the name Umm Kulthum bint Jarwal with Umm Kulthum bint 'Ali, the fact is Umar Faruq did not marry Umm Kulthum bint 'Ali"



Umar himself admitted that he was physically incapable of marrying the girl, although she was knowledgeable and honest. Therefore, he got the girl married to his son. How then possibly could he have married any other girl during the same period?! Or was he just lying?



Besides this fact, Umm Kulthum bint Ali (as) was a Sayyidah. Even in Sunni fiqh, a Sayyidah cannot legally marry but a Sayyid. Hanafi scholar Mufti Ghulam Rasul expands on this matter further, relying on the fatwas of classical Sunni Ulema in his book Hasab aur Nasab Volume 2 pages 188-190:


"Marriage between a Sayyid woman and a non Sayyid man is batil (false) on the basis that Nikah to a non kuff (equivalent) is not permitted. When the cornerstone of marriage is kuff then the marriage between a Sayyid female and non-Sayyid man cannot be achieved since Sayyid women are the descendants of The Holy Prophet (s), and hence their equivalents can only be another one of The Holy Prophet's descendants. This was the opinion of Allamah Yusuf Nabhani (d. 1350 Hijri) in al Sharaf al Muhbad page 39.


Al Hafidh Jalaladeen Suyuti stated in Khasais al Kubra that 'One of the distinctions of the descendants of The Holy Prophet (s) is that no one else can be their kuff. Ibn Hajr al Makki (d. 974 Hijri) states 'One distinction of The Holy Prophet (s) is that his daughter's descendants are linked to him. As no one is the kuff to The Holy Prophet (s) the only kuff to his descendants can be those from his daughters lineage, which is why even one of Abbaside lineage cannot be the kuff of a female descendant of Fatima, despite the fact that they are both of Hashmi descent (Fatawi Kabeera Volume 4 page 97)'. He also stated in Sawiqh al Muhriqa page 234 that 'Our scholars have concluded that these traditions serve as proof that a distinguishing feature of The Holy Prophet (s) is that he is the father of Fatima's descendants, their kuff is linked to him. To that point a pious (non Sayyid) Hashmi cannot be the kuff of his descendants. Other than The Holy Prophet (s)'s lineage the lineage of ALL other daughters is linked to their fathers, not their mothers'.


When no one can be counted as the kuff of The Holy Prophet's descendants then the Nikah of a Sayyidah to a non-kuff, does not meet the criterion of a valid Nikah. Hadrat 'Umar stated 'I prohibit women marrying their non-kuff. Imam Muhammad narrates in al Thashar from Imam Abu Hanifah that 'I am opposed to a woman of good lineage marrying one that is not her kuff.' Shah Waliyullah also cited these words of 'Umar in Hujjul Balagha, Volume 2, page 94, and added:


'In light of these traditions there are no grounds to conclude that that the concept of kuff is unproven. The character of all manner of people is all linked to their kuff? People’s kuff differs, the Shari'a does not ignore such matters, which is why 'Umar prohibited women from marrying those that were not their kuff?"


Marriage needs to be conducted on the basis of one's kuff. If a non-Sayyid woman chooses to marry a non-kuff of her own accord then the foundation of that marriage is false. Allamah Abdul Rahman Hazarvi stated in Bagheeyatathul Mishtur Shahdeen, page 94:


'If a pious Sayyid woman declares marriage to a non Sayyid, I do not deem such a marriage to be correct, even if the wali and the Sayyid woman are happy since marriage can only be conducted on the basis of kuff.'


The marriage between a Sayyid woman and a non Sayyid man in all circumstances is unacceptable, since this constitutes disrespect of Ahl'ul bayt, and this is not permissible under the Shari'a, on the contrary it is binding upon us to afford them respect and protection."



Umar was not a Sayyid, and he himself used to forbid marriage between people of unequal kuffs. So, on what basis would he seek a marriage which he himself knew to be invalid under the Shar’ia?! Let us proceed with the Sunni Mufti. Mufti Ghulam Rasul proceeds to cite further Sunni Fatwas on this issue in Hasab aur Nasab, Volume 3, page 123:


"Allamah Shahrani (d. 973 Hijri) stated:


'No one can be the kuff of the Ahl'ul bayt when it comes to marriage. Ahl incorporates all the descendants of The Holy Prophet (s) until the Day of Judgement [Kushuf al Ghimma Volume 2 page 42]?.'


So when they have no kuff until the Day of Judgement, if a Sayyida woman marries with a non-kuff, this marriage is devoid of kuff, and is not acceptable. That is why the Ulema have issued edicts concerning Sayyids.


The Shaafi Ulema have stated that the descendents of Sayyida Fatima are linked to The Holy Prophet (s) they share one another's characteristics and rules of kuff apply to them. In marriage they both are kuff of one another. If the girl is Sayyid and the boy is not then a Nikah cannot take place, since a non Sayyid is not the kuff of a Sayyid woman. This is because the Sayyida woman is linked to The Holy Prophet (s) whilst the non-Sayyid male is not. The closeness to The Holy Prophet (s) is not shared by both.


That is why Allamah Sayyid Shahabadeen in 'Rashafath al Sari, page 74' stated:


'Whether we are Hasani or Husayni in ancestry we only marry our daughters with those of a pious noble lineage, it is not permissible for us to marry them to a non-Sayyid.'


Mehr 'Ali Shah (ra) stated that the Nikah (marriage contract) between a Sayyid woman and a non Sayyid man is not permissible, and there is a broad agreement amongst the Ulema on this point, since such a Nikah would be with a non kuff, hence its duty on the Ulema of Islam to deem such a Nikah to be unlawful. (Fatwa Siraya page 134)



Salafis are aware of the threat posed by this legal ruling. So, they devise an excuse. Salafi scholar Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid states:



The idea that there are “sayyids” or “walis” (“saints”) whom Allaah has singled out from among mankind for some favour, or that they have a status which other people do not share, is an idea which is based on the Magian belief that Allaah is “incarnated” in people He chooses from among mankind. The Persians used to believe this of their kings (Chosroes) , and that this spirit moved from one king to another, through his descendents. This Magian (Zoroastrian) idea spread to the Muslims via the Raafidi Shi’ah, whose origins are Magian – so this idea was introduced to the Muslims. This idea says that Allaah selects some of mankind, to the exclusion of others, for this status, which is the status of imaamah and wilaayah. So they believe in this idea with regard to ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib and his descendents, and they add other positions to that, such as sayyid…They said that as this sayyid or wali has this position and status, then they know better what is in our best interests, so we should entrust our affairs to them, because they are better than us, and so they are more entitled…There can be no doubt that this is obviously a misguided notion[1].



There are also other fatwas from Salafis, and people oriented towards them which permits people of unequal lineages to marry. This however contradicts the fatwa of Umar himself and your “righteous” Salaf. So, we are not going to accept that hypocrisy from you. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) himself called Imam Hasan (as) a sayyid! So, how could these Salafis claim that he was influenced by Magianism?? He (pbuh) said:



'This son of mine is a Sayyid (i.e. a noble) and may Allah make peace between two big groups of Muslims through him."

Sahihh Bukhari Volume 3, Book 49, Number 867



This confirms that the children of Fatima (as) are actually the children of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), and they are all Sayyids!



As for the second claim that Imam Ali (as) named his children after the three caliphs, it is even a greater nonsense. Abubakr, Umar and Uthman were common Arab names, and naming a child with any of those names does not mean one is naming after the three caliphs. After all, there were so many of the Shi’a predecessors with the name Yazid! Would that have meant that their parents had named them after Yazeed ibn Mu’awiyah (la)?



As proof that those names were common, let us bring these. In Ahl'ul Sunnah's authority work Al Isaba Volume four "Dhikr 'Abu Bakr" Ibn Barr states:


The first was Abu Bakr bin Quhafa, the second Abu Bakr bin Shuab Laisy and the third was Abu Bakr Nafee bin al Harith Saqfi.


In the Risala Taseemee'thul Isma page 4 we read that the grandson of Prophet Ilyas (as) was called Abu Bakr.


If our opponents are still not convinced then we shall cite Sibt Ibn Jauzi al Hanafi's "Tadhkirathul Khawwas, under the Chapter "Dhikr Abu Bakr" who provides a complete list of those individuals that were called Abu Bakr along with the tribe that they belonged to:



1. Abu Bakr bin Abdur Rahman Mukhdhoomee

2. Abu Bakr bin Hamam al Hameeree

3. Abu Bakr bin Muhammad bin Muslim Qurshee

4. Abu Bakr bin Abi Maleeka al Timeemee

5. Abu Bakr bin Sireen

6. Abu Bakr bin Marwan ibn Muhammad al Thathree

7. Abu Bakr Younis bin Bakeer al Shaybanee

8. Abu Bakr al Bahili

9. Abu Bakr al Sakhthayanai

In the same vein, there were many famous Arabs with the name Umar. We are quoting from Ahl'ul Sunnah's leading work Asadul Ghaybah Volume 4 under the letter "Ayn" that provides a list of men from those tribes that had the name Umar:



1. Umar al Aslama

2. Umar al Jamai

3. Umar bin Hakim Salma

4. Umar bin Salim Khuzamee

5. Umar bin Suraqa Qurshee

6. Umar bin Sa'd al Numaree

7. Umar bin Sa'd Salma

8. Umar bin Sufyan Qurshee

9. Umar bin Abi Salma Qurshee

10. Umar bin Amr Salmi

11. Umar bin Abdullah

12. Umar bin Ikrima

13. Umar bin Umar Laysee

14. Umar bin Ameer Ansari

15. Umar bin Auf Nakhai

16. Umar bin Ghazia

17. Umar bin La Haqq

18. Umar bin Malik bin Ukba

19. Umar bin Malik Ansari

20. Umar bin Mu'awiya Ghazree

21. Umar bin Yazeed al Khaza'ee

22. Umar Yamani

Likewise, there were many famous Arabs with the name Uthman. We are again quoting from Asadul Ghaybah Volume 3 under the letter "Ayn" that provides a list of 19 people with tribal ancestry that were called Uthman:



1. Uthman bin Arqam

2. Utman bin Adhrak

3. Uthman bin Haneef

4. Uthman bin Rabia

5. Uthman bin Shumaas

6. Uthman bin Abi Talha

7. Uthman bin Abu'l Aas

8. Uthman bin Amr

9. Uthman bin Abd al Rahman

10. Uthman bin Abd' Ghanam

11. Uthman bin Ubaydullah

12. Uthman bin Affan

13. Uthman bin Uthman Thaqfee

14. Uthman bin Umar Ansari

15. Uthman bin Umar

16. Uthman bin Qays

17. Uthman bin Muhammad

18. Uthman bin Fadhoown

19. Uthman bin Ma'dh

They were contemporaries of Abubakr, Umar and Uthman. Does that mean they were named after them? The entire argument is clearly baseless. A Shi’a may name his son Umar, if he is an Arab; or even if he is not. That does not mean he has named him after Umar ibn al-Khattab. He could just have given him his own name! Obviously, the whole argument is one big nonsense!!

Also, we will now provide the names of key Shi’a personalities with typical non-Shi’a names.

Yazeed, Abu Khaled Al-Kammat: A Shi’a Imami from the companions of Imam al-Sadiq (as). He debated with a Zaidi and Imam Sadiq (as) was impressed with his
replies in the debate.

Ibn Shahr Ashoob included him among the very close companions of Imam Sadiq (as).

Reference: Mu'jam Rijal Al-Khoei, Volume 21, pages 110-111.

Yazeed Ibn Ishaaq Ibn Abi As-Sakhf: A Shi’a Imami from the companions of Imam Sadiq (as).

Reference: Mu'jam Rijal Al-Khoei, Volume 21, pages 113-114

Yazeed Ibn Saleet: A Shi’a Imami from the companions of Imam Al-Kazim (as). Sheikh Al-Mufeed and Ibn Shahr Ahsoob counted him among the great and
trusworthy companions of Imam Kazem (as).



Note: Some thought he was a Zaidi in faith because Sheikh Al-Tusi said he was Zaidi, but Ayatullah Sayyed Al-Khoei said this is not the case. He is Zaidi
only in nasb (his lineage reaches Zaid [ra]). In addition, there is a sahih narration from Imam Rida (as) praising him.


Reference: Mu'jam Rijal Al-Khoei, Volume 21, pages 122-124.


Mu'awiyah ibn Ammar ibn Abi Mu'awiyah: A Shi’a Imami, he was among the greatest companions of Imam Sadiq (as).


Reference: Mu’jam Rijal Al-Khoei, Volume 19, pages 235-239


Mu’awiyah Ibn Wahb: .A great Shi’a Imami from the companions of Imam al-Sadiq (as).

Reference: Mu'jam Rijal Al-Khoei, Volume 19, pages 244-246


Umar Abu Hafs: A Shi’a Imami, from the companions of Imam al-Sadiq (as).

Reference: Mu'jam Rijal Al-Khoei, Volume 14, pages 10-11.


Umar Ibn Aban: A trustworthy Shi’a Imami companion of Imam al-Sadiq (as).

Reference: Mu'jam Rijal Al-Khoei Volume 14, pages 12-14


Umar Ibn Abi Ziyad: A trustworthy Shi’a Imami companion of Imam al-Sadiq (as).

Reference: Mu'jam Rijal Al-Khoei, Volume 14, pages 15-16


Umar Ibn Uthunayh: Among the greatest Shi’a Imami companions of Imam al-Sadiq (as).

Reference: Mu'jam Rijal Al-Khoei, Volume 14, pages 21-25


Umar Ibn Al-Rubay': A Shi’a Imami from the companions of Imam al-Sadiq (as).

Reference: Mu'jam Rijal Al-Khoei, Volume 14, pages 38-39


Abu Bakr Al-Hadrami: A Shi’a Imami from the companions of Imam Baqir (as) and Imam Sadiq (as).


Reference: Mu'jam Rijal Al-Khoei, Volume 22, pages 72-75



Does it make any sense then to claim that these people were named after Yazeed (la), Mu’awiyah (la), Abubakr, etc? Can’t a Shi’a today name his son after these Shi’a Imami narrators?



[1] Available at www.islam-qa.com, a Salafi website.